Swansea Home Drew 0 – 0 How did we not score?
It’s probably just his style, and of course he is learning the job really, but Will Still’s line-up tinkering defies established thinking about the value of a settled team – it’s not as if we should be in awe of Championship opponents, is it? Against Swansea, Manning made way for Welington to return while Jelert started on the opposite flank; Archer’s recall was more out of necessity than anything else, thanks to the latest Stewart injury and Downs’ ineptitude, but the key decision was to select Scienza wide on the left. Not a great deal went on in the first quarter of the match, before Saints went on to dominate the remaining play up to half time, largely due to Scienza having Key on toast. Ironically it was when Scienza cut inside that we came closest to scoring, the Brazilian’s shot coming back off the post with Archer unable to make anything of the rebound. Armstrong then had an opportunity from a Scienza cross, and we rather expected better from him. When Vigouroux made a fine save from Wood’s header after a corner, there was a sense that the team might pay for not taking advantage of this period of play. It wasn’t that obvious from where I sit, but you imagine that Swansea must have done something to counter Scienza’s threat; that should surely leave space for someone else, but Still reacted by moving his star man to the right and in fact Scienza ended up down the middle before an 85th minute substitution. Chances were proving hard to come by in the second half but it often only needs one to take the points, and that one came in spades on 78 minutes when Vigouroux could only push Armstrong’s shot into the path of Jander. I was already half checking for an absent linesman’s flag as Jander was sure to score, only somehow he managed to find the post rather than the gaping net. The manager waits longer than most before turning to the bench so when the subs began to appear, they were so frequent as to stop the team settling into a new rhythm and after that Jander moment it became increasingly clear that this was not to be a second home win in the league in 2025. The clocks will have gone back before we have another chance.
Three LSSC Man of the Match candidates to choose from:
13. Léo Scienza. More than a handful for defenders in this league – we must find a way of taking advantage.
15. Nathan Wood-Gordon. Not his most troublesome game, but quite dominant at the back.
24. Shay Charles. Has made the defensive midfield role his own, ahead of Downes.
Become a Member
Become a member of London Saints from as little as £5.